Kathryn's Personal Fundraising Page

At first this might sound shocking for someone my age. However, I come from a long line of women who have had breast cancer. My mom had breast cancer twice in her 30's, my aunt in her 40's and 50's, and both my grandmothers, including most recently my 85 year old grandmother for the second time. Due to strength, determination, medicine, and love, all these wonderful women survived this disease. And, due to advances in modern medicine, I was able to undergo hereditary testing, and found that I have the BRCA2 gene mutation. This means that our family history of breast cancer is genetic.

This also means that when combined with my family history, I have an 80% chance of developing breast cancer during my lifetime (compared to a 12% chance for women without the BRCA mutation). And the best proxy for age of diagnosis is the closest relative who had breast cancer (my mother at 33 - and I'm 31).

This life-changing surgery reduces my risk from 80% to less than 5%. Less than 5%!

I am sharing all of this in order to spread care, humility, and love. Over the years, and more intensely over the past few months, I have come to realize that my struggle and suffering through the fear and sadness inflicted by this disease are not my own; they are that of so many women, mothers, wives, husbands, daughters, sons, loved ones and friends that are affected by Breast Cancer. We are never alone in the fight against Breast Cancer.

Which brings us here. I want to make an impact in the fight against breast cancer! I want to help Susan G. Komen save lives and end breast cancer forever. I’m taking my first step towards a world without breast cancer by raising funds to stop this disease that affects 1 in 8 women during their lifetime. As the world’s largest and most impactful breast cancer organization, Susan G. Komen funds more breast cancer research than any other nonprofit.

And it's this type of research that has helped fund the important discoveries that are enabling me to outsmart cancer before it even arrives on my doorstep. Your donations DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE for women like me every day.

Thank you for supporting me as I fundraise in support of ending breast cancer forever. And for your loved ones who are currently fighting this disease - please tell them for me that they are strong. Tell them they are brave. And tell them they are full of courage!